Bottle wrapper



J. E. KIEFFER BOTTLE WRAPPER May 15, 1934.

Filed June 9, 1931 IN VEN TOR. F /6.

3 JOHN 5. K/EFFER BY ZM YEW-W.

A TTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE John E. Kieffer, Ewing, Ind.

Application June 9, 1931, Serial No. 543,077

.. p 3 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle wrappers and is particularly adapted to be applied to the type of wrapper, which is ordinarily made in the form of a flat paper tube, and having the corners at one 5 end folded over and pasted down to form a narrow neck-receiving end for a bottle. Such wrappers are usually put on the market in tightly bound bundles containing a large number of wrappers. When the bundles are untied, the individual wrappers are practically flat and can be opened only with great diiiiculty and by using both hands. If it is attempted to open the wrappers of the prior art by the use of one hand, as by applying pressure to the edges of the tube, it will usually double up lengthwise or buckle and no opening will be effected. As a result a large amount of time and labor is necessary to place the prior art wrappers on a given number of bottles.

The primary object of this invention is to overcome the di advantages of the prior art wrappers set out above and especially to obviate the necessity of using both hands to open them.

Another object is to provide a wrapper of improved construction that will not require special processes such as indenting which weakens the fibers or machinery for its fabrication.

Other advantages and objects will be pointed out during the course of the following description. The present invention is based upon my discovery and observation that if the tube is formed of a material that has been pretreated so as to stiffen the sides thereof transversely of the length of the tube so as to impart an initial outward bulge to the sides of the tube, pressure applied to the edges will open the tube, instead of causing it to double up.

Referring to the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bottle wrapper made according to a preferred embodiment of my in- Q vention.

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged view of the same wrapper looking at the narrow end as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged view of the wrapper looking at the wide end as indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1.

As is shown in the drawing, the bottle wrapper of the present invention consists of a sheet of paper 1 folded to form a flat tube having a glued joint 2 and having the corners 3, 4 at one end folded over and pasted down to the main body portion of the tube to form a neck-receiving portion 5 for the bottle to be wrapped. The glue or paste need only be applied between the contacting portions of the main body and of the two folded over portions.

As thus far described, the bottle wrapper shown in the drawing is substantially of the same construction as those of the prior art. The difference upon which patentable novelty is predicated, is to form the tube of a material that has been pretreated so as to eliminate any tendency of the tube to double up when pressure is applied at the edges thereof. This desirable result can be achieved by imparting sufficient initial outward bulge to the sides of the tube or by stiffening the paper transversely of the length of the tube. I prefer to obtain this result by making the tube of a crepe or crinkled paper having its crinkles running transversely of the length of tube as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. The crinkles have preferably been formed or molded in the sheet of paper during its manufacture while in a plastic state and before it had been finally dried.

Besides the advantages already enumerated, there are several others attributable to the use of a crinkled paper. Among them may be mentioned the following:Crinkled paper, being much more bulky per square foot than flat paper and having considerably greater cushioning properties, is a much better protection for glass articles. Then again, since the crinkles run cross-wise of the web of paper as it is fed from the roll to the wrapper-making machine, the paper has a greater 85 stretchability in the direction of motion and goes through the machine at an increased speed over that of ordinary flat paper.

It is clearly seen from the above description that I have provided an improved bottle wrapper which may be readily opened by pinching the narrow end with the fingers of one hand, so that the other hand is free for other purposes. Hence, it is a simple matter for an inexperienced person positioned at the side of a moving belt or con- 9'5 veyer to open and slip the wrappers over the neck of the bottles on the conveyer as they pass by.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A bottle wrapper in the form of a flattened tube of creped or crinkled paper, the crinkles of which run transversely to the length of the tube, the sides of said tube having an initial outward bulge to facilitate opening by applying pressure to the edges thereof.

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2. A bottle wrapper in the form of a flattened paper tube, the paper of said tube having been pretreated to impart a substantial stiffness in a direction transverse to the length of the tube, to prevent an inward buckling of the sides of the tube when subjected to pressure at its edges, the sides of said tube having an initial outward bulge to facilitate opening by applying pressure to the edges thereof.

3. A bottle wrapper in the form of a flattened 

